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Money Box
New regulations start for shoppers using Buy Now, Pay Later.
cnbc.com
Watch Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh testify live before Senate banking committee
Part of congressionally mandated Capitol Hill appearances for the central bank leader, Warsh spoke Tuesday to the House Financial Services Committee.
cnbc.com
U.S. launches fresh wave of strikes on Iran, as analysts warn conflict risks becoming 'forever war'
Fighting in the Middle East has intensified in recent days, but could escalate further if Iran fails to cooperate, President Donald Trump said.
cnbc.com
Wholesale prices unexpectedly declined 0.3% in June on big drop in gasoline
As with consumer prices, the index benefited from easing energy costs, particularly as oil fell due to the brief pause in tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
bbc.co.uk
EasyJet passengers stuck on tarmac for hours when plane couldn't refuel
One passenger said she only got home at 06:00 after being stuck on the runway in the middle of the night.
cnbc.com
SK Hynix South Korean shares jump 8% as Asia tech stocks rally
SK Hynix led a broad rally in Asian technology shares on Wednesday, tracking a rebound in U.S. semiconductor shares after a sharp selloff earlier this week.
theguardian.com
Dale Vince to get damages from Daily Mail publisher over misleading article
Court of appeal rules Labour donor suffered ‘obvious injustice’ over use of his photo with headline referring to different manThe green energy entrepreneur and Labour donor Dale Vince is in line to receive damages from the publisher of the Daily Mail after claiming it used his picture to mislead millions of readers.Vince, who has given more than £5m to Labour over several years, took legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over an article, published in June 2023, headlined “Labour repays £100,000 to sex pest donor”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tripling US union membership would shift $1.2tn to workers annually – report
More density would also narrow racial pay gaps, while a decline in density correlated to surges in wealth inequalityTripling union membership in the US would lead to a 14.5% raise for the median US worker, shifting $1.2tn to workers annually and significantly narrowing racial wage gaps, according to a new report released Wednesday.The report from the Economic Policy Institute notes that union membership rates across the workforce, also known as union density, was once three times as high as it is today. Union density in the 1950s was more than 30% before it started to decline in the 1960s. By the 1980s, union density dropped to 22.2% only to decline even further in recent decades, to 10% in 2025. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
IRS chief Frank Bisignano will lead Trump Accounts expansion
The Treasury Department is putting a top official in charge of the new program as it enrolls millions of families.
cnbc.com
Warren Buffett on the market today: 'It's tough to find values when everybody is preferring gambling'
The investor has been sharply critical of the stock market, one that he says is increasingly defined by speculative trading as opposed to long-term investing.
cnbc.com
Morgan Stanley posts record quarterly revenue and profit as equities trading surges 69%
Like at peers Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, a massive beat in equities trading drove the quarter's outsized results.
cnbc.com
Stripe, Advent make $53 billion takeover offer for PayPal, sending stock soaring
Stripe and Advent International have made a joint offer to acquire PayPal for $60.50 per share, in a deal that would valued at more than $53 billion.
theguardian.com
Keir Starmer says farewell to MPs in his final PMQs - video
Keir Starmer faced his final PMQs before he steps down as the UK's prime minister. He offered his 'full support' to his successor as well as sharing tributes to MPs, colleagues and his family who were in the galleryStarmer shares tributes and offers ‘full support’ to his successor in his final PMQs before stepping down – UK politics live Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Thames Water increases bonus payments to £4m despite uncertainty over future
Annual results show struggling firm’s net debt has risen to £19.7bn, up from £17.7bn a year earlierBusiness live – latest updatesThames Water increased its bonus payouts to £4.1m for senior managers, despite warning over “material uncertainty” over its future as it scrambles to recapitalise to avoid nationalisation.The water company also gave a pay rise to its chief executive, Chris Weston, and drew the ire of Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary, for paying him a previously deferred bonus of £99,000 – despite a ban on bonuses because of pollution failures. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Warren Buffett tells CNBC he initiated Berkshire Hathaway's investment in Alphabet
Warren Buffett said he was the driving force behind the conglomerate's recent big investment in Alphabet.
cnbc.com
Treasury yields are flat as traders weigh encouraging inflation data vs. oil rebound
Treasury yields were edged higher as investors awaited the latest producer price inflation print for June.
cnbc.com
Midnight social media curfew and limits to infinite scrolling proposed for older UK teens
The U.K. government has proposed new measures to protect older teens on social media, including a midnight curfew and a limit to infinite scrolling.
bbc.co.uk
Cash-strapped Thames Water poses big test for Burnham
Despite returning to profit after hiking bills 40%, the deeply troubled company is far from out of the woods.
theguardian.com
Surviving extreme heat increasingly boils down to this: access to air conditioning | Mark Wolfe
The next great climate divide will be between countries that have the resources to adapt and those that don’tThis summer, much of the media’s attention has focused on record temperatures across Europe and the United States. Television coverage has been filled with familiar images: heat maps shaded deep red, schools closing, rail lines slowing, wildfires spreading and emergency rooms treating growing numbers of people with heat-related illnesses.Public officials have responded with equally familiar advice: stay indoors, drink plenty of water and, if possible, turn on the air conditioning. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Burnham urged to drop ‘flawed’ plans that may let developers bypass environment laws for £1
Exclusive: allowing firms to dodge biodiversity protections by paying into levy will harm nature and economy, say 100 experts in letterThe UK government has been accused of “rushing through” planning changes that could give developers permission to “trash” nature for as little as £1.A letter signed by more than 100 conservationists, scientists, celebrities and businesses, including the actor and writer Stephen Fry and the broadcaster Chris Packham, has urged the incoming prime minister, Andy Burnham, to immediately halt the rollout of environmental delivery plans (EDPs). Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares rise 4% after Qwen AI set to be integrated in Apple Intelligence
The Cyberspace Administration of China on Wednesday included Apple's AI services on a list of approved providers.
cnbc.com
Renewed Hormuz hostilities drive ECB rates rethink amid ‘extremely volatile’ outlook
Several consecutive days of strikes exchanged between the U.S. and Iran have cast uncertainty on the European Central Bank's interest rate decision next week.
cnbc.com
ASML rises 3% after hiking sales forecast for second time this year on strong AI chip demand
ASML on Wednesday raised its guidance for a second time this year as its customers continue to ramp up their production capacity of AI chips.
bbc.co.uk
Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK teens aged 16 and 17
The government says it will improve teenagers' lives but campaigners call it a "missed opportunity".
bbc.co.uk
Don't panic - five ways to stop your kids' endless scrolling
Parenting experts share their tips on how to keep children's screen time under control.
theguardian.com
‘Please don’t lose another pound!’: Ozempic is upending the wedding dress industry
The ubiquity of GLP-1s is wreaking new havoc on bridal designers who must scramble to accommodate rapid weight lossIn bridal stores across the world, solicitous sales assistants are being trained to ask a new, blunt question: “Are you planning on losing a drastic amount of weight?”Wedding season’s new disruptor is semaglutide, now used by 10% of engaged couples, according to a survey by the wedding planning platform Zola. In the same survey, 42% of couples said the ubiquity of GLP-1s has made them feel they should “look a certain way” for their wedding. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Some advice for Andy Burnham? Crack down on ‘rip-off Britain’ – and make sure voters feel the benefits | Jason Okundaye
Fining errant corporations is welcome – but when consumers are also getting shaken down on their local high street, it’s time for a new and boisterous approachIt’s a story that warms the heart and lifts the soul: last week, Virgin Media was fined a record £28m by Ofcom for repeatedly preventing customers from cancelling their contracts. Its methods were insidious: deliberate call-dropping, unnecessary call transfers and constantly putting customers on hold. For anyone who has experienced the mental anguish of attempting to cancel a contract or subscription, only to be met with “cancellation friction”, their comeuppance conjures a feeling of economic justice.“Rip-off Britain” has long been a popular narrative about our country, and feels ever more prescient in a time of stagnant living standards and cost of living pressures. Whether it’s extortionate energy and water bills, food prices, subscription traps, consumer scams, defective goods, unfair fines or hidden charges, it’s impossible to escape the feeling that you are being constantly shaken down. It’s an issue that unites us in frustration: little wonder that the money-saving expert Martin Lewis is the most trusted man in Britain. Reassuring people you’ll help protect their hard-earned money is one of the most surefire ways to make them feel you are on their side.Jason Okundaye is a Guardian Opinion assistant editor Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bank of England governor would have put off Farage meeting had £5m gift been under investigation
Exclusive: Andrew Bailey says he does not regret meeting Reform UK leader to discuss cryptocurrency regulationThe Bank of England governor has said he would have put off a meeting with Nigel Farage last autumn had the Reform UK leader’s £5m gift from a crypto billionaire been under investigation at the time.Andrew Bailey said he did not regret meeting Farage to discuss the Bank’s plans for cryptocurrency regulation last September, months before the controversial donation from the Thailand-based investor Christopher Harborne was revealed by the Guardian in April. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
China’s economy grows at 4.3%, one of its lowest rates on record
Worse-than-expected figures for three months to June come amid concerns over lopsided economyBusiness live – latest updatesChina has posted worse-than-expected growth figures for the three months to June as its economy expanded by just 4.3% – one of its lowest quarterly readings on record.The rate, which came in under the government’s target of 4.5% to 5%, was one of the weakest since reporting on official quarterly GDP figures began in the early 1990s. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How changes to ‘buy now, pay later’ rights affect you
Treasury says shoppers will get a ‘fairer deal’ as new rules for BNPL credit are introduced on WednesdayMillions of shoppers will enjoy more rights and protections from Wednesday as new rules for “buy now, pay later” take effect in the UK.The government said it was delivering on its commitment to end the buy now, pay later “wild west”. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
China economic growth falls sharply, missing target
Weak demand domestically and the impact of the Iran war on oil prices overshadowed the country's strong exports.
cnbc.com
The British finance minister choice that's worrying big business
There are reports that Burnham had been persuaded not to appoint early frontrunner Ed Miliband, instead opting for Shabana Mahmood.
theguardian.com
Sadiq Khan backs calls for maximum workplace temperature in UK
Mayor of London backs calls from unions to update health and safety rules in light of more frequent heatwavesThe mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is backing calls for a maximum workplace temperature as pressure grows on the government to protect workers from the impact of repeated heatwaves across the UK.The extreme heat has left people struggling to cope as temperatures in some workplaces climb above 40C, causing thousands of schools to close and hospital and transport systems to break down. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Over 1,600 energy department webpages on utility bill savings removed as US temperatures soar
Guardian analysis found the removals coincided with the Trump administration’s push to weaken efficiency rulesAs millions of Americans prepare for another brutal heatwave, it’s now harder to find information about ways to stay cool while saving energy and keeping utility costs down.At least 1,662 Department of Energy webpages offering guidance on protecting the electrical grid during heatwaves have gone dark as of 3 July, according to a Guardian analysis of a list of deleted URLs provided by researchers at the Internet Archive, a non-profit that hosts a repository of more than a trillion archived webpages. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Trump threatens to bomb bridges and power plants unless Iran resumes talks
Trump's comments aired as the two countries exchanged fire for the fourth day in a row and the US resumed blockading Iranian ports.
theguardian.com
Labour should ditch triple-lock pensions promise, says OECD
Organisation’s experts say pledge puts pressure on UK public finances and ‘adds significant fiscal risks’Labour should ditch the triple-lock pensions promise to help tackle the UK’s straitened public finances, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has urged.In its latest survey of the UK economy, the Paris-based club of industrialised nations added its voice to those calling for an end to the pledge, which uprates the state pension each year by whichever is the highest of wage growth, inflation or 2.5%. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
We look at the different circumstances that affect you if you're due a refund for cancelled or delayed flights.
bbc.co.uk
How will Buy Now Pay Later changes affect you?
Consumers should be better protected as Buy Now Pay Later lenders now require authorisation to operate.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: A chip off the AI block
With the chip sector at the center of market volatility, ASML raises guidance, IBM massively disappoints and SK Hynix regains some confidence.
theguardian.com
Drivers charging electric cars handed shock parking fines
EV owners were sent hefty PCNs but say some signs in private car parks fail to warn of fees to park and recharge carDoes refuelling your car class as parking? The answer appears to be yes if it’s an electric vehicle. Guardian Money has been contacted by several readers who were fined after charging their cars away from home.The motorists report being caught out by signs that fail to make clear that charging points are subject to parking tariffs or to store opening times. Also, they have found some chargers being advertised as available for use when it would be a breach of the car park’s terms and conditions to use them. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. strikes Iranian missile sites, defense systems and reinstates port blockade
President Donald Trump has said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is over following multiple flare-ups of hostilities in the region.
cnbc.com
China posts slowest quarterly growth since 2022 as investment slumps, fanning stimulus calls
That second-quarter growth came below Beijing's full-year growth target range of 4.5% to 5%, the least ambitious goal in decades.
cnbc.com
Why Europe is suddenly betting big on drones
Drones and autonomous systems are moving from niche battlefield tools to a core part of modern warfare.
theguardian.com
Labour must stop just writing a cheque for benefit claimants, says McFadden
Exclusive: Work and pensions secretary signals possible reform to welfare as ministers await key reviewsLabour must stop “simply writing a cheque” for health and disability benefit claimants and will provide more job support instead, the work and pensions secretary has said.Pat McFadden said the government was preparing to launch a renewed effort at welfare reform with a focus on encouraging more people with health conditions to get into work and off benefits. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Heating oil customers to get up to £350 compensation for cancelled orders
Watchdog says about 1,700 people were affected during a price surge triggered by the Middle East crisisHeating oil customers whose deliveries were cancelled when the war in the Middle East caused a price surge are to receive compensation of up to £350 each following an investigation by the UK competition watchdog.As the crisis unfolded, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was investigating heating oil suppliers after complaints that existing orders were being scrapped, with customers offered new deliveries at a significantly higher price. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The scary rise of locksmith scams: ‘I was shut out with my baby – and charged £2,200 to get back in’
In the UK, these scams have become an epidemic, rising 147% between January and March, compared with the same time last year. Why are they suddenly so common? And what can you do if you’re charged thousands for a quick, easy job?Sarah was alone in her flat with her three-month-old baby when a man put a card machine in her face and demanded she pay £2,209. A few hours earlier Sarah, 30, had been for a walk with her daughter when it dawned on her that she had left her keys at home. She did what most people would do in the same situation: search Google for a nearby locksmith. “I had a screaming baby, so I needed someone to quickly let me in,” she says.Sarah came across a seemingly legitimate company, near the top of the search results, which was sponsored. The company’s website said prices started at £45 and claimed they had received “4,500-plus five-star reviews and counting”, so she called them. When the locksmith arrived, Sarah says, he “seemed pleasant and relatively quiet” at first. After examining her lock, however, he told her it was a high-security one and the only way to get inside was to drill it open. He broke his way in and changed the lock before delivering another blow: he had accidentally damaged the internal mechanism, which also needed replacing. After Sarah got inside and placed her baby on a changing mat, the locksmith told her the price: £2,209. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
I investigated Palantir’s foothold in the British state – and what I found should worry us all | Peter Geoghegan
Paid-for political access and threadbare regulations have helped to embed the US tech firm in the NHS – and beyond. But there is a way to free ourselvesAndy Burnham faces a lot of big decisions. But one of the incoming prime minister’s biggest early tests is what he does about the world’s “scariest company” – Palantir. The US defence and surveillance tech behemoth has a swathe of British public contracts, including, most controversially, a £330m deal with the NHS. It’s pretty clear what many of Burnham’s new parliamentary colleagues want him to do: the science, innovation and technology committee says the government should ditch Palantir and its “clear mismatch with UK values”.Peter Thiel and Alex Karp’s company is not without British backers. The Times and the Telegraph have been enthusiastic supporters. In the Financial Times last month former Conservative party adviser Camilla Cavendish accused Palantir’s critics of putting politics over progress: “To me, what matters is what works.”Peter Geoghegan runs the investigative website Democracy for Sale Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The lawyer who took on Meta – and won – podcast
When Mark Lanier and his young client Kaley faced Meta and Google in an LA courtroom earlier this year, it seemed a bigger battle than David v Goliath. Lanier, however, was determined to prove the companies had not just stumbled into a youth mental health crisis, but had helped to engineer itMark Zuckerberg walked into a Los Angeles courtroom on 18 February flanked by an entourage bedecked in Meta Ray-Bans. He was there to do something he’d never done before – take the stand in front of a jury in a landmark civil case that sought to prove that Instagram and YouTube are addictive by design.Jenny Kleeman tells Nosheen Iqbal about meeting Mark Lanier, the preacher-turned-lawyer on a self-described “holy war” against tech superpowers. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Japan’s bond market is back in play after decades in the wilderness
JGBs have been selling off amid policy normalization and concerns over Tokyo's spending plans, but experts say that they deserve another look from investors.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump walks back on Hormuz tolls in TACO Tuesday
U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed his announcement on imposing fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz
bbc.co.uk
Xbox workers stunned after jobs 'bloodbath'
The video game giant owned by Microsoft plans to let 3,200 workers go. Will it be a big reset or a system crash?
theguardian.com
Meta used AI to tag workers who took leave to be laid off, lawsuit claims
Lawsuit filed by dozens of employees says people who took maternity or disability leave were disproportionately selected for layoffsDozens of Meta employees have sued the social media company over claims that it used artificial intelligence tools to tag workers for mass layoffs. The workers allege that those AI tools targeted them after they asked for protected or maternity leave or disability accommodation.The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in the northern district of California, points to Meta’s workforce reduction of about 8,000 employees earlier this year. Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The suit alleges that Meta used a “constellation of internal artificial intelligence systems”, including AI performance ratings and keystroke- and activity-monitoring data, to pinpoint who to lay off. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
I changed jobs 10 times in 10 years to get the career I wanted
The lily-padding trend sees young people repeatedly move jobs to try to advance in the workplace.
theguardian.com
MPs call for ban on fast food outlets opening near schools to tackle obesity
Commons health committee also recommends end to junk food advertising on billboards and public transportFast food chains such as KFC should be stopped from opening near schools, and advertising for junk food on billboards and public transport should be banned to help curb obesity, MPs will say today.The Commons health committee will also urge ministers to stop giving in to food industry lobbying and get tough to tackle a problem that costs the UK £74bn a year and causes huge illness.Supermarkets should be forced to display fruit and vegetables prominently, for example near entrances and checkouts, to help boost sales.All food must start carrying front-of-pack, traffic light-style labels telling consumers how healthy or unhealthy they are, which some supermarket chains already use.The government should urgently progress its previously announced intention to compel food producers to reveal what percentage of their sales come from healthy and unhealthy products.Ministers should “be more courageous [and start] standing up to challenge from industry”, which often seeks to delay the introduction of measures to limit bad diet. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Heating oil customers to get compensation after price hikes
The cost of heating oil spiked following the US-Israel war with Iran which forced up crude prices.
bbc.co.uk
From Wimbledon towels to Scotch: What India-UK trade deal could mean for shoppers
The free trade agreement between the world's fifth and sixth largest economies has come into effect - can it deliver?
cnbc.com
Current and former employees sue Meta, alleging discrimination in using AI to conduct layoffs
The lawsuit filed by current and former Meta employees underscores rising concerns about AI's impact on jobs and people with disabilities in the workforce.
cnbc.com
IBM stock craters 25%, the worst day on record, after company issues second-quarter earnings warning
The CEO blamed the shortfall on weakness in the software and infrastructure business because clients shifted money toward hardware purchases.
cnbc.com
The AI boom just found two new winners: Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase
Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan showed that Wall Street is a major beneficiary of the AI boom, with record revenue driven by surging trading and investment banking.
cnbc.com
SK Hynix options begin trading. But another group of stocks is stealing its thunder
One explanation for the lack of notable call-buying is that the surge in single-stock ETFs and leveraged funds stole a big chunk of the speculative limelight.
bbc.co.uk
Billionaire Warren Buffett stops donations to Bill Gates charity
The investor's decision comes weeks after Gates' appearance before US Congress over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Brazil’s sovereignty: Trump turns autonomy into a trade offence | Editorial
Donald Trump’s tariff threat recasts Brazil’s attempt to protect its democracy as unfair commercial practice – and gives Bolsonarism a Washington stageLast June, Brazil’s supreme court responded to the online lies that helped fuel Jair Bolsonaro’s failed far-right coup attempt in 2023. It ruled that social media platforms could be held liable for some users’ posts, forcing firms such as Elon Musk’s X and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta to remove hate speech and anti-democratic content. A month later, Donald Trump proposed a 25% tariff on Brazilian imports, complaining that the judges had made US tech firms take down “political” material.At a hearing held at the US International Trade Commission last week, an extraordinary platform was given to Mr Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio. He is the opposition candidate running to be president in this year’s election while his father serves a 27-year prison sentence. His message to Washington was that the US’s problem with his country’s unfair trade practices was down to the president, Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, who has clashed with Mr Trump.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Gas prices drive down US inflation - but will it last?
While the US inflation rate fell in June, concerns remain over price rises increasing again due to the renewed conflict in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
Warsh pledges Fed policy 'regime change' to rid inflation 'tax' on American people
Warsh pledged Tuesday to "get monetary policy right" and defeat the inflation that has bedeviled the central bank for the past five years.
cnbc.com
T. rex sells for $50 million, becoming the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned
It passes a stegosaurus skeleton that billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin bought for $44.6 million in 2024.
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham must act fast on the climate – or risk getting stuck in a ‘derailment’ doom loop | Laurie Laybourn
Around the world, climate-sceptic parties are exploiting floods and fires to make political capital. Without urgent changes, this deadly spiral will continueRecent unprecedented heatwaves in the UK may have killed thousands of people. Children are suffering in overheating schools. NHS trusts are straining under record-breaking demand. This all comes after climate extremes have even affected national security, with three of Britain’s five worst harvests coming since 2020, impairing food security.This is what life looks like in the “adaptation gap”.Laurie Laybourn is executive director of the Strategic Climate Risks InitiativeDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. trade official says 'very few' Nvidia H200 AI chips have been shipped to China
The remark is a sign that H200 shipments to China have restarted, potentially boosting Nvidia's sales even higher.
theguardian.com
Trump forced to refund billions in tariffs - The Latest
The US government has been forced to pay billions in refunds to companies that were hit by Donald Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs. The US has paid out $81bn (£61bn) this fiscal year after the supreme court ruled the tariffs were illegal. Lucy Hough speaks to Chris Michael, an international editor for Guardian US Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Port of Dover works to avoid summer travel chaos
It is hoped the long queues and delays seen over the May bank holiday will not be repeated.
theguardian.com
Buffett omits gift to Bill Gates’ foundation after his Epstein ties disclosed
Gates has denied any ties to Epstein’s crimes and has not been accused of any wrongdoingBillionaire Warren Buffett omitted Bill Gates′ foundation from his annual donations this year after disclosures of the Microsoft co-founder’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Buffett will donate about $6bn to four foundations connected to his own family, but did not mention Gates in his announcement Tuesday.Buffett also said in his statement that he wants all of his remaining Berkshire Hathaway stock worth more than $140bn donated to charity by the end of 2034. Previously the plan was for his three children to distribute his remaining fortune within 10 years of the 95-year-old investor’s death. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
United Airlines' new upsell: Keeping other travelers out of the middle seat
United Airlines will allow customers to pay more to keep the middle seat open on its Airbus o21XLRs
theguardian.com
Cincinnati has a $1.9bn infrastructure fund – why can’t it spend it to fix its housing crisis?
Money from rail selloff could help solve Ohio city’s most pressing problems but political mistrust dictates how profits can be usedCincinnati, Ohio’s City of Seven Hills, has been drawing residents in from its suburbs – and, increasingly, other large cities – for years now. The only flat thing in sight is the housing supply.“Our city’s growing,” Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati’s mayor, said in an interview. “For the first time in a generation, our population is growing.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The UK wants to catch up in the global AI race – but is too wary to go all-in
UK fears a ‘triple whammy’: oversized investment in AI stocks, slower adoption of AI than predicted and the breakneck pace of AI’s developmentHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian. Today, we’re discussing the UK’s difficult position in the AI race, new doubts over OpenAI’s path toward a trillion-dollar stock market debut and the changes to IRL tech reporting in the age of AI.My patients use ChatGPT for therapy. Now I use it too | Sarah Darghouth | The GuardianChasing new skills, going back to basics and pushing for collective action: how software engineers are adapting to AI Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Diamond giant De Beers halts work at flagship South African mine as demand plummets
Production will stop for two years at the mine which employs more than 4,000 people.
bbc.co.uk
UK wasted £10bn on PPE that left NHS staff poorly protected, Covid inquiry finds
Healthcare staff were unable to properly protect themselves, or those in their care, from dangerous infections, says the latest inquiry report.
bbc.co.uk
How much should you give to the year-end teacher collection?
Collecting money for a joint present might overcome the competitive gift-giving, but it can still cause friction.
bbc.co.uk
California leads lawsuit to block Paramount Warner Bros mega merger
The state, where both studios have headquarters, has joined 11 others to halt the deal.
bbc.co.uk
South East Water must pay £30.5m for supply failures
Regulator Ofwat confirms this penalty follows three investigations into the water company.
bbc.co.uk
Woman's Hour
We hear about a new study exploring the impact hormones have on women with ADHD.
theguardian.com
EasyJet Holidays’ ‘spa’ resort was lacking an on-site spa or gym
We booked the £1,070-a-week retreat because of the facilities, but when we got there they were a round-trip awayLast month’s tale of a winter break spoiled because easyJet Holidays had neglected to state that the hotel’s heated pool and spa incurred hefty charges was discordant music to another reader’s ears. He writes:We returned last month from an easyJet Holidays break at a “wellness retreat” with prominently advertised spa facilities, which turned out not to have any spa facilities whatsoever. We had booked a £1,070 week at the Vasia Sea Retreat in Sissi, Crete, because I wanted access to a gym at least twice a day as rehabilitation from a serious knee injury, and my wife was keen for pool and pilates classes. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
How US commerce secretary's Epstein links were uncovered by British whistleblower
Simon Andriesz made the discovery about Howard Lutnick in publicly released Epstein files.
bbc.co.uk
UAE condemns Iran's 'brazen' attack on tankers as US launches fresh strikes
The third consecutive night of US strikes on Iran came as Trump announced a 20% charge as part of a new blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
theguardian.com
Who is ‘stealing’ Bali’s water? How tourism siphoned off a prized resource
Along with the rice fields, a centuries-old infrastructure that treated water as a gift to be shared is disappearing I Putu Partayasa pushes his fingers into the soil as he squats at the edge of a rice terrace. They come up dry. His field has water; his neighbour’s does not. “We have a big problem in the dry season,” he says. “Fifteen years ago, we have water every day. But today it’s getting less.”The 52-year-old, who goes by the name Parta, is lucky because his plot sits high enough in the irrigation system so that he still gets his share of water. He fears he knows where the rest is going. “Companies take our water,” he says, “and bring it to the tourism places.” He gestures at the terraces below, a patchwork of green and brown that was once all green. “The forest is getting smaller. The springs are drying.” Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
US burrito giant Chipotle opening first outlet in Mexico
Other US fast-food brands have struggled to succeed in the countries their dishes originated in.
cnbc.com
'Listing is a must': Chinese humanoid startups are rushing to launch IPOs
Shenzhen-based LimX Dynamics is the latest humanoid company in China to raise capital in recent weeks as investors eye IPO exits.
bbc.co.uk
Is tracking your food purchases good for your health?
Food tracking apps are popular, but are they a good way to make us eat a healthier diet?
bbc.co.uk
The mysterious crypto firm backed by Farage's biggest donor
Tether is a giant in crytocurrency, an industry that Nigel Farage believes the UK should be embracing.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Volkswagen’s crisis: another wake-up call for Germany and the EU | Editorial
Robust action is needed to protect European industries from unfair competition. The alternative is social strife amid growing insecurityAccording to a recent analysis, China enjoys a surplus in its manufactured goods trade with the European Union that is roughly equivalent to Italy’s national income. That trade disparity, it is estimated, continues to grow by about 30% each year. The stark implication, according to a paper from Centre for European Reform, is that Europe, with Germany in the frontline, risks “deindustrialisation at China’s hand”.The gravity of the threat was grimly evident in the car industry last week, as Volkswagen’s supervisory board met to discuss radical proposals to cut 100,000 jobs – around a sixth of the company’s global workforce – and close plants. Taking into account indirect as well as direct employment, the automotive sector is responsible for around 3m jobs in Germany. But manufacturers in the country’s flagship industry have found themselves in a triple bind. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Volkswagen planning to cut up to 100,000 jobs globally
The group, which includes Porsche and Audi, has faced a steep fall in profits and tough competition from China.
bbc.co.uk
UK-Switzerland deal to scrap roaming charges and allow Britons to use e-gates
The UK signs a new services deal with Switzerland it says will increase exports by £5.2bn annually "in the long run".
theguardian.com
New twist in affordability checks row demands answers from Gambling Commission
Culture, media and sport committee questions bear a striking similarity to those racing industry has been askingLast Tuesday’s announcement by the Gambling Commission that it planned to introduce “financial risk assessments” – or affordability checks – for gambling customers seemed to mark the end of racing’s fierce, five-and-a-half-year campaign against the policy, but there has been a further twist to the extended tale after it emerged that the House of Commons’ culture, media and sport committee (CMSC) has written to the commission, requesting answers to a series of questions on the checks by 24 July.The cross-party committee’s questions for the regulator bear a striking similarity to many of those that the racing industry has been asking – to little or no avail – since checks were first proposed under the last Conservative government in late 2020. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
The SpaceX IPO made history. One month on has it lost momentum?
A month on from the firm's stock market debut, the reality of how SpaceX currently makes money has seemed to come into clearer focus.
theguardian.com
Is Donald Trump winning his war against the media?
President and allies have sued, cut access and issued subpoenas, but experts say media still producing strong workDonald Trump has ramped up his attacks on the media to a level without precedent in American history in the first 17 months of his second presidency.But have Trump and his allies won their war against the media – or at least put the industry on a weaker footing than in the past? The answer isn’t so straightforward. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
China’s graduate glut: millions enter a job market with little use for them
Record numbers find there is little demand for their skills, as entry-level tech roles are hit by AI and automationThis time of year is graduation season in China: traditionally a bittersweet period of solemn goodbyes and family celebrations as university students transition from campus life into adulthood. Now it also increasingly represents trepidation about the future.Each year, millions more graduates are thrust into China’s already saturated jobs market. The situation for this year’s cohort, flooding into an increasingly crowded pool of applicants fighting for an insufficient number of positions, is arguably the bleakest yet. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Yorkshire Water paid us £6,800 by mistake – and said to ‘enjoy’ the money
Only when Guardian Money contacted the company did it discover the cash was wages owed to its staffIn May, our supplier, Yorkshire Water, made a surprise payment of more than £3,500 into my partner’s bank account.We assumed that it was an error and we would be told to repay it. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
China’s massive AI rollout - podcast
Senior China correspondent Amy Hawkins on China’s embrace of AI, from medical avatars to food delivery drones and state surveillanceWhile the spread of AI has been met perhaps with a lot of scepticism in the west, China has fully embraced the technology, explains Amy Hawkins, from millions of users talking to AI doctors, to the use of intelligent robots in factories, and drones delivering food on the Great Wall of China.AI has also been eagerly taken up by the state, not least in the opportunities it provides for further surveillance, the Guardian’s senior China correspondent says. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
New era for Gibraltar with removal of 118-year-old border controls with Spain
It is hoped that free movement between the UK territory and Spain will provide an economic boost.
bbc.co.uk
How to change bank, energy or broadband provider and save money
Changing your broadband or energy supplier, or even your bank, for a better deal is simpler than it used to be.
theguardian.com
‘This was a righteous case. A holy war’: the lawyer who took on Meta and Google – and won
When Mark Lanier and his young client Kaley faced the tech giants in an LA courtroom earlier this year, it seemed a bigger battle than David v Goliath. But they scored a landmark victory, proving that the social media giants had created ‘addiction machines’ that harmed mental health. How did they pull it off?When Mark Zuckerberg walked into a Los Angeles courtroom on 18 February flanked by an entourage bedecked in Meta Ray-Bans, some people laughed. If this was an attempt at product placement for the company’s newest range of smart glasses, it was jarringly ill-judged: Zuckerberg was about to testify before a jury in a landmark lawsuit that sought to prove that Instagram and YouTube are addictive by design, and he had passed a throng of bereaved parents on his way into the courthouse. But the prosecution team, led by Mark Lanier, were not laughing.This was a serious trial. For the first time, the most powerful names in social media were being held to account for the inherent design of their platforms, rather than the content hosted on them. They were accused of deliberately and maliciously building products that keep children hooked, with disastrous consequences for the mental wellbeing of young people. It was a landmark case – a big tobacco moment for big tech. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A very good clone’: news stories faked to lure victims to scam investment sites
Fraudsters create false articles that appear to be from publishers such as the Guardian to share on social mediaThe Guardian article looks interesting. It says the billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has stormed out of a BBC interview after presenter Laura Kuenssberg revealed details of his personal financial affairs – and now the episode has been removed from iPlayer.Among the detail in the piece is that Ratcliffe has been using an online investment platform to make money. The report says although the site has been kept secret, other people have used it too, and they have made a fortune. There is a link to the site where you can trade cryptocurrency, stocks and shares. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘End of an era’: what is the future of British TV after Sky’s ITV takeover?
Merger stokes fears over job cuts, US influence and possible BBC and Channel 4 tie-up to take on Netflix and YouTubeOnly five years ago a bullish ITV was riding high, trumpeting the biggest annual advertising haul in its history, as the broadcaster pledged to become a national champion in the battle against the US streamers.Now its chief executive, Carolyn McCall, has raised the white flag, arguing that a cut-price sale of its TV and streaming business to Sky is the only route to survival as deep-pocketed companies such as Netflix and YouTube hoover up audiences and commercial revenues. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Should you be switching bank accounts?
Martin Lewis covers whether you should be switching bank accounts.
theguardian.com
Homes for sale with stylish bedrooms in England and Wales – in pictures
From a warehouse conversion in London with views of the water, to a 17th-century barn with an annexe used as a yoga retreat Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Wealthy AI workers send San Francisco house prices soaring
The median cost of a home in the city is now $1.7m, a record high, according to the latest figures.
bbc.co.uk
How to find lost bank accounts
How to find lost bank accounts
bbc.co.uk
Robots available for rent: But what can they do?
Robotics tech is changing fast, so for many it makes sense to rent a robot.
bbc.co.uk
AI is 'not smart' so what's next in artificial intelligence?
Leading AI researcher Yan LeCun has a start-up which is developing a more flexible AI system.
bbc.co.uk
Why is crucial tech vulnerable to the heat?
Energy grids and train services are among the vital services that are vulnerable to very hot weather.
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The legal fight to get equal pay for Germany's disabled workers
A test case is seeking the minimum wage for 300,000 disabled people who currently get paid less.
bbc.co.uk
Do you know your 'sweat score'? The rise of hydration tech
Hydration tracking gadgets are flooding the market but is it too much information?
bbc.co.uk
Is Germany looking again at coal-powered electricity?
It had planned to abandon the fuel, but the higher cost of natural gas may make it think again.
bbc.co.uk
The artificial ice pyramids saving India's mountain villages
Himalayan villages are creating artificial glaciers to guarantee water for their crops in the spring.
bbc.co.uk
'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots
As the delivery vehicles increasing take to US streets, bans and protest groups are springing up.
bbc.co.uk
What is Helium-3 and could we get it from the moon?
Helium-3 is expensive and demand is forecast to soar, so some are planning to mine it on the moon.
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
bbc.co.uk
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
bbc.co.uk
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
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